Pull-button-controlling switch



July l0, 1928. 1,676,971 l A. B. WEAVER PLL BUTTON coNTRoLmNG swxTcH Filed June 1, 1925 LVW llis ttor` n ey.

Patented July 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES ARTHUR B. WEAVER., oP PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, As'sIGNoRmof GENEEL?? ELEGTBIQ COMPANY, A CORPORATION E NEW` Yoan.

PULL-EUTToN-coNTEoLLINGiswIrcE.. i Y

Application med June 1, 1923. serial No. `s4aa3o-`l My invention relates to pull button electric switches of the type disclosed in Patent No. 1,096,913 to Charles H. Hill which is assignedto the same assignee as is the present application. This type of switch comprises a pair of spring biased parallel pull rods each carrying a movable switch element and each having a pull button or other handle whereby they may be individually operated as desired to close and open electric circuits.

It is often desirable in such a switch to be able to lock either or both pull rods against movement to a closed circuit position and as a safeguard to a workman engaged on a circuit of dangerously high potential controlled by the switch, it is further desirable that the workman himself may be able to apply an additional lock to the switch before beginning work on the circuit controlled thereby.

An object of my invention therefore is to provide an interlocking means operative either to lock selectively the one or the other of the'two pull rods of a switch of the above mentioned type against movement to closed circuit position or to lock simultaneously both pull rods against such movement. Another object is to provide a lock for the aforesaid interlocking means whereby both pull rods may be locked against movement to a closed circuit position.

My invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying specification and drawing and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a switch involving my invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same; Fig. -'3 is aperspective view of the top plate and parts carried thereby including the locking device; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top view of the plate and parts shownin Fig. 3 with the locking device removed, and Fig. 5 is a circuit diagram showing how the switch may be used.

Referring non7 to the drawing, the switch comprises a frame 1 having a pair of openings 2 and in alinement with which are two tubes 3 whose lower ends are secured to the frame 1 and whose upper ends are secured to a top plate 4 by means of rings 5. By means of screws 6 the frame 1 and plate 4 may be clamped to a panel 7, suitable space ing rings'S being interposed between the frame and the underside of thepanel.,-QSl1d ably mounted inthe tubes 2 `andI plateQ are rods` 9 having pull buttonsfor'handlesl() at their .upper ends" andhafving enlarged :ai mtermedlate portions 12 againstwhichbear 60 coil sprmgs y13 to lntninfally holdg/th'e :sw'tch 1n open circuit positiong.. At'jthellowfer, end of each rod'is an` enlargedportion.14ffo1f`ming a shoulder 15 and carrying'rat.itsllowl"Qlldsa the movable contact member lEachkmiii- 66 ber 13 when raised engages..onoppositefsides a pair of contact members 1.17.... pivot mounted on brackets l'carriedfbyfand sulated from theframel. 1.,. Connection an external circuit v`-may be @made ...to l- .the brackets 18 by means: of screwsg19lthreaded in ears 20. y 4 y A Mounted in a chai'nie'lformed` ony V Munderside ot the traine 1 between theopenmgjs .gig 2 is a slide 22"'which4 is retained(in' thev ifo said channel bya "plate'f23`, sec red *to-.the

frame by screws 24. This plat'eis preferably formed of resilient material ad'atits inidpoint is provided 'with'abntfu'p [portion r 80 hump 25 for a purpose to', be.:hereinaf.ter. e; scribed. The slide 22; isofsuchfalength'athat when it is slid to thejright itfwill overlap the shoulder 15 ofthe right hand fd 9` andi-there? by prevent@ SllfiCh Outwardfilvemf ff that rod to elect closing, ofptheswivtch erated thereby, butftliedeft'hand rodf9 be left free for utwar'lniovefme'nl wise when the slide is ,moved to the left, the left hand switchrod y from being` shiftedbutthe `a is left free..` Inv its mi position., will engage the 'shoulder' 1510i l' 9 in which case vneithersw For the PuPOS fshftingftha-,Sl any one of its. threezfposi'tions, vided a lever 27`f`fulcruniedf u y frame 1 and havin'gfits'f lowerend vrounded and engaging inL la centralfo,peiling- Slide 22. The humpga" rigagginglt rounded` @hd ofthe f1. QIZYffSv/e's O. iently hold .the` lever andthefslidelmoved thereby to theorie or' toith other "of yi'ts'iil treme positions. The upper end of the lever 27 is shown provided with an indicator plate 30 which may bear the le ends Closed and Open and which may e seen through a transverse slot 31 formed in the top plate. An intersecting longitudinal slot 32 permits the necessary rocking movement of the lever. For actuating the lever a thumb screw 33 having a straight shank is provided. Two transversely arranged guides 34, which are secured to the plate 4 by means of the clamping screws 6, receive in suitable grooves formed therein one leg portion of a U- shaped locking member 35. The sliding leg of this member is provided with slot 36 of a width suiiicient to receive the shank of the thumb screw 33 but insucient to permit it to have any a preciable rocking movement. The slot 36 being centrally arranged in the locking member 35, the lever 27 must necessarily be in its mid-position when the ,lockin member is applied and after being applie it effectively retains the slide 22 in its mid-position whereby both switches are locked against a closing movement. If desired the lockin member may bear a legend such, for examp e, as Danger to give warning to an attendant that the switch should not be operated or if additional protection is desired a padlock 37 may be applied with its haspfpassmg through a hole in the opposite leg o the member 35 so as to interfere with the thumb screw 33 should one attempt to remove the member 35 without first removing the padlock.

Although the above described switch is particularly adapted to control a solenoid operated switch as shown diagrammatically by Fig. 5 it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is by no means confined to such use but may be put to a variety of uses. According to Fig. 5, I have shown the switch involving my invention as connected to close the circuit of either of the two solenoids 39 and 40 of the solenoid controlled switch 41. When the upper pull button 10 is pulled closing the corresponding switch, solenoid 39 is energized and the trip 42'is actuated to permit spring 43 to open the switch 41. When the lower pull button 10 is pulled closing the corresponding switch, solenoid 40 is energized and the switch 41 is closed and latched.

While I have described only one embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the particular form shown and described as it will be apparent that many modifications therein may be made without departing from the scope of my invent-ion as set forth in the appended claims.

4What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. An elect-ric switch comprising a plurality of movable circuit controlling members each biased to the open circuit position and having means by which they may be moved Vto closed circuit position, a locking element for said circuit controlling members mounted for movement transversely thereof, said locking element in one position preventing movement of one of said members to closed circuit position, in another position preventinof movement of another of said members to closed circuit position and in an intermediate position preventing movement of both of said members to closed circuit position, a lever having a pivotal motion 1n the plane of movement of said locking element for operating the same and having two extreme positions and an intermediate position corresponding to the positions of said locking element, restraining means for said lever including a restraining niember and guiding means therefor whereby the restraining member is adapted to be applied when the lever is in its intermediate position, said restraining. member having portions which engage opposite sides of the lever to prevent pivotal movement thereof from its intermediate position, said restraining member being arranged to be locked aglainst movement in said uiding means w en in its restraining posit1on.

2. An electric switch comprising a plurality of movable circuit controlling members each biased to the open circuit position and having means by which they ma be moved to closed circuit position, a loc ing element for said circuit controllin members mounted for movement transverse y thereof, said locking element in one position preventing movement of one of said members to closed circuit position, in another position preventing movement of another of said members to closed circuit position and in an intermediate position preventing movement of both of said members to closed circuit position, a lever for operating said locking element having two extreme positions and an intermediate position corresponding to the positions of said locking element, and a restraining member for said lever adapted to be applied when the lever is in its intermediate position, said restraining member having a slotted portion for receiving the end of the lever to prevent movement thereof and a portion for coverin the end of the lever.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 29 day of May, 1923.

ARTHUR B. WEAVER. 

